Question
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and we are indeed flattered to see the Prime Minister discussing improved relations with the EU as a way to solve issues in the asylum system, but when the Government say that they will negotiate access to various agreements, including Eurodac, without dropping their red lines, they are engaging in Brexit delusion of the type we saw under the Conservatives. If we want useful co-operation on asylum and a good deal for taxpayers—because it will cost less if we are in the pact—we will have to join the EU migration and asylum pact, and that means dropping the Government’s red lines, doesn’t it?
Answer
The delusion here is the hon. Member assuming that the EU asylum pact is up and running, and that it is a silver bullet. He will know that across Europe, while there is greater co-operation on data sharing and so on, everyone wants to remove people from their country, but nobody wants to receive them. On returns under the pact for the countries that are in it, those returns are not happening at scale. He knows that was also the case under the Dublin regulation, of which we were part; in our last five years in it, we did not deport as many people as we managed to under our agreement with France.17% point-scoring
Verdict: RED (5/100)
The question asked whether joining the EU returns pact would require the Government to give up its red lines. The reply does not address this at all. It instead argues that the pact is not a silver bullet, that returns under it are not happening at scale, and compares deportation numbers under France and Dublin. A member of the public would not learn whether the Government's red lines are at stake, so they would likely need to ask again.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether joining the EU migration and asylum pact would require the Government to drop its red lines. | Not Addressed | Generic | The item asks whether joining the EU pact would require dropping the Government's red lines, but none of the statements mention red lines or what joining would require; they only argue that the pact is not a silver bullet, that returns under it are not happening at scale, and that deportation numbers were higher under France and Dublin. |